Compartmented key holder



Feb. 13, 1951 H. H. CAMPBELL COMPARTMENTED KEY HOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Jan. 24, 1947 Feb. 13, 1951 H. H. CAMPBELL COMPARTMENTED KEY HOLDER 3 Sl'xeets-SheetI 2 Filed Jan. 24, 1947 l INVENTOR. BY j/gNpY H. (AMD/55u WM# www1 i. by msi@ Q Feb. 13, 1951 H. H. CAMPBELL COMPARTMENTED KEY HOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 24, 1947 1..., Si, is.:

INVENToR.

BY Hafvmf H. @Mp/SELL Patented Feb. 13, 1951 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE COMPARTMENTEDVKEY HOLDERA Henry H. Campbell, Cleveland; Ohio` Application J anuanyi24, 1947, Serial No.724,167

(Cl. 15o-40) The object of my present invention has been tor produce an improved key holder of thev type disclosed by my United States Patent #2,322,920, issued-June 29, 1943.

The construction of key holder embodied in said patent involvesl special advantages by way of. provisions including diversl key compartments that are provided by the walls of thercasing; of the holder inr conjunction with partition members within the holder, and means for maintain.- -ing the exit and. entrance' portions or openings of the compartments normally closed by resilient spring action, forpreventing displacementl of keys from. the: individual compartmentsin. which they are arranged.4 Other. provisions of: the patented construction, which by my present invention is'improved upon, include features ena'olingy manipnlationof the holder andparticu, larly. the casing. structure thereof, while. held in one hand so that by the exercise of mere compressive-force upon the casing at the edges tl'ieieof,.andY using a finger of the handfor selectingla compartment tobe controlledfor opening, any selected one ofthe keys in the various compartments may be projected from its particular compartment by a mere flipping of. the holder bodily under such manipulation, and finger selection action.

According to. my present improved' construction, I have provided certain novel spring elements contained within the holder, which maintain the casing ofthe holder substantially under tension so that the exit and entrance portions ofA the various compartments thereof will norreally-remain closed to prevent t e key'in a particular compartment, or in fact the keys in all of the compartments, from being displaced except under authorized conditions.

My invention-further involves novelprovisions in'- regardto the manner of formation of the partition elements, one or more of which may be provided in the casing for dividing the holder into the various key compartments at latterly spaced portions intemediate'the partitionsian'd sides' of the holder', said'compartments leading to: openable resilient or flexible mouth portions ati'theoppositef ends'of: the holder casing.

My invention: further involves' other details of construction= includmg: primarily the' means for'attachinggthe saidV spring parts tothe casing body, the'means for-attaching. the'keys to; the' springt iflarits.4 so4 that. the keys may be contained properly in their individual separate comparte mentaand'featnres of general assemblyfof. the varioussparts of; the holder: giving riseto manuefacturing. advantages` enabling A thev production of. the. holder at va relatively cheap cost.

Thev constructionofv the detailed improvementsA above.: referred toV will` be clearly understood uponsreference to my issued patent hereinbeforeidentifi'edrink conjunction with the followingdetailed description and the drawings annexed Jheretof inV which drawings:

FigureLis aside elevationiof'A aholder embodying. .the general features* of `my invention.

Figureais an edge view of the holder.

Figli-rc3 is a. view-similar. toFigure 1 but looking toward-the opposite side of the holder. Figure 4 is a vertical lsectional view through the holden' and'. taken.. about onthe line 4 4v of Figure .6..

Fgure.5.is a-view similar to Figure 4 but with the section. taken-about on the line 5 5 of Figure 61.'.

Figure 61 is a vertical plane section of the holder;

Figure '7 is a greatly enlarged end'view of the holder with. a portion. thereof broken away and shown -in section to bring out more clearly the manner of attaching the intermediate partition member-to the end plates to-which the springs whichv produce tension edgewise in the holder are secured Figure 8 is an end view similar to Figure 'I illustrating. the holder of a size, substantially, thatwhichwill normally be used, and without the sectional-'illustration afforded by Figure 7.

Figurev 9-'isal -planA View of one of the intermediate partitions inthe holder and showing the extensionY formation of the corner portions of' saidpartitions.

Figure 10-is a horizontal sectional view taken about on the-line-I-IU of Figure 6 showing the six ccnnpartmentv form of key holder such as illustrated `.by-'al1 of`- the-views heretofore referred toand descnibedin detail.

Figure-IL is a cross sectionalx view similar to Eigurev-10f butr showing a two spring', so called; typefof. six compartment-holder.

Figure'l2 is=a lview similarto Figure l0 but illustratingv a? six`compartment holder in which ve springs are employed for maintaining the holder bodyunder tension; also'a somewhat different arrangement of the intermediate partitions` in .relation to "said springs.

Figure 13; showsfa modification of my invention', the -gure-being a section similar to Figure lofinvolving a sixl compartment type of'holder in: Whi'cha:l single: spring offlat. form e is utilized 3 intermediate the longitudinal end plates in the casing of the holder.

Figure 14 is a view similar to Figure 10, the holder construction involving the use of two compartment separating springs, and a single partitiorrmember dividing the holder into four key compartments.

Figure 15 is an end view showing one of the key exit and entrance ends of the, holder, the latter being of the type shown in Figure 14.

Figure 16 is a View somewhat similar to Figure 6 showing the holder in the condition thereof when the edges are pressed together somewhat against the tension of the springs normally holding these edges at their limit of separating movement, and further showing a key displaced from its key compartment after rthe manipulation of the holder so as to ip the key out of such cornpartment. .A

Figure 1'7 is a view looking toward the end of the holder when the latter is adjusted to the position as shown in Figure 16 in which the key of the middle compartment has been displaced therefrom, the key being one of those disposed in the two opposite middle compartments.

Figure 18 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation showing primarily the tension plates used at opposite edges of the holder interiorly thereof, one -of the spring members normally under compression or ready for compression by the simultaneous pressure on the edges of the holder, and illustrating the disposition of the key hooks, two of which are directly attached to each of the springs, one of which is shown in the view.

Figure 19 is a view looking endwise toward the tension plates and brings out the manner in which the three springs of the six compartment holder illustrated in Figures 1 to 10 of the drawings primarily, are mounted upon the said plates; and also showing how the six key hooks carried by their respective chains are attached to the said spring members.

I now proceed to describe the detailed construction of my invention as it is disclosed essentially in Figures 1 to l0 and Figures 18 and 19 of my drawings, Figure 16 being equally applicable insofar as it shows corresponding features of my construction to those referred to in the figures previously mentioned.

My holder comprises a body in the form of a casing I which prefer to make of leather material or any material equivalent thereto. Rubber or flexible plastic substances may also be used and under some conditions would be advantageously employed. Preferably a single piece of leather or like material is formed to provide the casing I, the end portions of the material being joined by means of suitable rivets such as designated at 2, one of the ends of the material overlying the other. As seen best in Figures 6 and 16, there are secured on the inner faces of the edge portions of the casing I the curved metal plates 3, said plates being substantially concavoconvex formation in cross section. The plates are attached to the casing by the upper and lower rivets designated 4, one of which is shown best perhaps in Figure 7, greatly enlarged.

Attached to the inner faces of the sides of the casing I and secured at the opposite ends thereof to the opposite ends of said sides by rivets are the facing members 6 which are preferably made of cloth material though very thin leather might be substituted if so desired. Also if desired these facing members may be additionally .partition members is of substantially the form illustrated in Figure 9. It consists of a body sheet of iiexible material such as cloth or the like, and is formed at its corner portions with lateral extensions 8 apertured to receive certain of the rivets 4 previously mentioned as attaching the spring mounting plates 3 to the ends of the casing. In other words in respect to each of the partitions l, the extensions 8 at one vertical edge will be penetrated by the two rivets 4 at opposite ends of the holder, and the extensions 8 of the adjacent partitions 'l extending in opposite directions of those of the previously mentioned partition will be similarly penetrated and clamped by the same rivets 4. Figure 7 clearly illustrates the foregoing feature of my invention and the manner in which the extensions 8 of the two intermediate partition members 1 are curved laterally toward each other in order to be properly engaged by the rivet means 4 for proper attachment to the end portions of the casing I.

The opposite ends of the partition members 1 have secured thereto as seen clearly in Figures 4 and 5 resilient members 9, two of such members being stitched or otherwise attached at opposite sides of each end of the individual partitions 1. 'I'he members 9 are in the nature of obstacle means, anges, or protrusions laterally from the plane of the partition members 1, acting to provide a resilient mouth portion for the exit and entrance opening between the partitions 1 and the facing members 6 of the holder. Preferably the end members 9 project slightly from the key entering and exit ends of the holder casing I and the parts 6 and 9 lie in substantial contact with one another normally or very closely spaced from one another.

I now refer to Figures 4, 5, 6, 16, 18 and 19 of my drawings in reference to the provision of novel spring devices included in my holder construction, which spring devices maintain the holder in its normal condition for receiving and holding the keys while the holder is in the pocket of the user, his purse or elsewhere. 'Ihe spring devices consist of S-shaped spring members, each of which will be indicated as comprising the spaced or opposite legs I0, pocket closing cross portions I I, and pocket closing and spacing intermediate bridge portions I2. On each spring member the chain of a key hook will have its free end link threaded to attach said chain, designated I3, to one of the cross portions I I of the member. Each chain I 3 will carry a customary form of key holding hook I4. The chains I3 will be engaged with the cross portions I I of each spring member preliminarily, after which the leg portions I0 of the 'spring member will be spot welded, soldered, or otherwise rigidly secured in the concave portion of an associated one of the plates 3, in a direction in line with the longitudinal axis of these plates.

As seen in Figure 19 of the drawings, quite clearly, for a six compartment key holder of the -rcgmnsss 'theplates3. The' outerxsprings or. spring members as .distinguishedv fromrthe inner or linterme- Idiate spring-member, are disposed, each -between the facing at 6 and one :side 'of the casing I. The inner or intermediate springfmember onthe other hand' is-.IOcated-between the partition members-1.

The mounting of the spring-members is such'that practically all portions of each springmember vincluding the-parts IB, II, and I2 are along side and parallelwith the adjacent-,spring members.

The eiect of the said arrangement of the spring members is tocausetheclosing portions I IYof the Ythree'rmembers to-engage with thefacing mem- .bers I5 and the partition' members 'Ito-hold these parts in close contactso'thatfin conjunction with the fcorrespondinglyvassociated` bridge` members' I2 of thefspring members, a tapering-serieslof Y'compartments closed at--the inner narrow-end portions,A` see i Figure 6,v will be provided on yeach side. of:atlineffmediallyland longitudinally offthe holder. Each compartment of-'each ofthe series .comprising'three compartments opens'towardthe end -of-the holdercasing Ifnearer' the larger end of the compartment. invother'wordsf-each-of the v`cornpartments-provided vfor the ykeys'maybesaid 'tobe closed at' one 'side yby' theassociatedfplate' 3 --andleg I0 of'the springthe closingr Dortion-I Iand v'bridge-portion I2of each-spring member acting in cooperation 4vvitlr-Athe adjacent ;portions Aof "the Lspring` member adjacent thereto, due to the v'clampingeeiect of said portions onsthepartitions `-"I f and facing members tofclose the other lside and inner end of the other compartments.

In addition to' the' functionv above ascribedto the spring-members' in allor-ding division means for segregating thefseveral 'key "compartments of my holder, said spring members'perform the separate'function ofnormally-maintaining the casing I of my holder in whatA maybe characterized as its normal or extended condition as illustrated in *Figures 1, 3 and 6 asdistinguished fromthe condition of the holder as seen in Figure 16, wherein the opposite edge portions I 5 of the holder are-compressed slightly towardeach other for facilitatingkey ejection. In other words I avail of the spring 'members comprising the parte7 i9, II and E2 for. normally holding the edge portions I5 of the casing I separated to a pre-determined limit of movement. The said edge portions .may be maintained under slight tension-.by reasonof the spring bearing eiect of the spring members at the leg portions Ithereof against. the inner sides of the plates .3, but said spring members have sucient resiliency to .readily `perrnit..the

squeezingorcompressing .toward one .another of the edge. portions I5.of the casing-in theoperation of displacing akey or reventeringathe key in relation to its particularkey compartment.

.It ,is notablelthat in lasiirlrey compartment.

holder.V such .as .I 1 have described, .threeof the keyf compartments located side by side-will-:open-toward the upper open endof lthefcasingl--andfare adjacent to Vone of the ends designated 5, while tlieother three compartments are located adjacent to .the other end of the casing I andopen in .an vopposite direction toward .the-Mother open end of..the casing` .The materialsecrtheffacing members .-6 and the partition' members f hare ,-so

snugly clamped. or held f together along =theline shaped springrm'embers .Ithattheffchainsfl 3iwhi'ch carry the hooks I4 ,willbeffreelyA held onzthe cross portions II of fthe.springzmemberswith which they areponnected andwill `notbecome displaced.laterally from such cross fportions.

The use of my .key holder, and its-method of operation, are substantially the .same asinrrespect tothe key holder of :ny-previously identied .'patent,

'The manner of removing askey froma compartment in '.theholder, assuming the keysare arrangedsubstantially asdepicted in vligure 6 ofthe drawings, `maybe briefly .described as-:follows. AThe user. of the .-key holder will l grasp :the

.same much. after the .manner illustrated -in .Figure l6.;and by pressing. .onthaclosed edges JI 5rof fthe casing .nearzthe .upper open. end .by lmeans of'the'thumb andsecond, third and fourth iingerathe said closed edges I5 may be moved toward-:each :otheix Meanwhile .by usingithe index jnger of :the same :hand. grasping the fholder,

ra selected one of wthecompartments tobbe opened in .the above operation may :be :additionally'separated by lmovement vof :the :index .'ngerthereinto, :and bylipping the holder upwardly-.the key .in the righthandcompartment asfshown in .Figure .S-.ma-y :be displaced fronrsaid-.compartment; after the manner illustrated in `Figure 16. This operation .applies if. .the index-finger.r4 is.' introduced into any. one .'of. the three Lkeypockets -or compartments at the Vupper endl-*of the casing as shown in Figures 6 and 16. Toz eject any Vv:one .:of keys im the lowerucompartments as showninvlignres 6fandlzthexuseruwillfoffcourse invert-the.-'l1olfier fro'mltherspositions shown and `by #proper 'selecting with the indexngerlthe particular compartments@ which: akeyfis tobe :displaced the 'holrier.maybeeflippedzupwardly .v and :the skey :thrown jrom rits epositioninia .very

simples manneriso-:asto Jaemeadyeto'foezgrasped and: used; forrnnlockingra; panticulandooreonany .other locked: placer-'on the ekey: is :to `:be

used. ,Practically speaking, .the 'freplacementscf the;keymay :be Ye'iected Lby merei'reverse-Lof -'opi .erationiaspreviously described. zlnfrotheriwnrds,

it being.- assumed; that ivhilezthe'. keynesignated i5 has beenfdisplaceczfrom: its :.proper.. compartment. oitpooletoi the. holder,"has been.used,.=.and is ready to'rbe replaced:initheholdergall the user has-'tono is again press on'sthe closed edgeszi of the 'helderfnear tireend wliere'the .key pocket is located, :fusing fhis index ngerzto-ispread .'thz` sides of the ce letxislightlyiinardditionftofthe spreading` accomplished by fthe; pressure on .the ends I, and then by .fflippingptiiet key Thack- Wardli, itfmay be 'causedto:'rlroplbackf'intol its pocket ready totbef'containe'tl bythe :holder for .future use.

.I 'now 'refer briefly 'tojcertain 2modifications of` myx-invention. .Inzligure' ll,-.the'.construction :ci my holden-:is verymuchthessameas previously descr-ibid butyl .am enabled propercpnsi ftioning-of thesprmg members, ti-vo of'vwhichzare .used only, to :dispense fwith f' one ':of @the :spring members notably ethe-fnddle one of Vthe emit.

Thertrvoispring memberssthat are employed; 'comprising they-parts f I 5,11 I 1 and .f f2 :'asfbefore described will be located:intermediate-.the-:facing members-6 and utliezouter; faces. of the adjacent partition lmembers 'l :and closelysenonghfspaced to cause athe. longitudinal middle mortinnsofethe said partition 7members luto besclamped together to create the middle pocket for the key members disposed-therein.

In Eigure i the modieatoni of rnonstmctton varies from the first described construction in that I utilize ve of the S-shaped spring members. In the Figure 12construction the two additional spring members are located between the adjacent sides of the two facing members 6 and the two partition members When using the construction of Figure 12 the lighter form of S- shaped spring member may be availed of, the combined compressive force needed to be exercised on the five springs by pressure of the closed edges IV of the casing I together, being about equal to that necessary to be exerted upon the larger cross section spring members utilized in the construction cf Figures lgto inclusive.

In-Figure 13 I show how it is possible in the carrying outx of my invention to utilize asingle S-shaped spring member designated i'I, and shown in sectional view only, for the purposes of my holder. This spring member I1 will preferably be made of elongated or fiat -cross section to provide the necessary strength orv resiliency of the same and the bridge portion of the spring member designated I8 will be located between the two partition members 1, together with the portions of the members I1 that correspond with the portions I2 of the previously described spring members. In the construction of Figure 13 it is necessary to stitch the facing members I9 to the partition members designated 2i! at the points marked 2|, thus forming a sort of pocket which encloses the bridge member IS of the spring member.

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate a construction which is very similar to that rst described by me herein except that I utilize only two S-shaped spring members 22, and a single partition member 23, the spring members being located to cause the facing members 24 to belly toward each other by the actionof the bridge portions 25 interposed `between the sides of the casing I of said facing members 24. This arrangement of the parts 25 causes them to clamp against the vertical or middle portion of thepartition member 23 and to hold the facing members 24 in close contact with the adjacent portions of said partition. member. The spaces for the key pockets are readily circumscribed by the adjacent wall portions of the parts 23 and 24 in a selfevident manner and four key pockets containing the keys I6 are provided. The partition member 23 will be equipped with the resilient edge protrusions 26 which correspond with the members 9 previously described.

The eifective action of the protruding resilient members 9 and 26 will be quite apparent upon reference to Figures 4 and 5 and Figures 8 and 15 of my drawings. These members 9 and 26 provide ledges or extending flanges which are sufficiently .close together, or even held in contact, if desired, so that there is no liability of a key or keys IB being accidentally displaced from the proper pocket or pockets in which it or they are received by any accidental pressure exerted on the end members I5 of the casing I. The members 9 and I5, effectively speaking moreover, provide clamping parts which encompass the casing or container I at the end openings thereof and owing to the nature of the material, leather, rubber, or the like, from which these members 9 and I5 are made, they act in a measure as resilient enclosing means or closing members at each open end of the casing I of the holder.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I .may construct my key holders in different formsV such :as-proposed in the preferred construction described herein and the various modifications thereof, and the number of compartments of my key holder may be varied in accordance with the constructional technique employed as set forth, and largely involving the use of a greater or less number of S-shaped springs comprising the parts IU, II, and I2.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofl the United States, is:

1. In a key holder, a casing comprising spaced side portions forming a key space open in at least one direction from such space, and a 1ongitudinally compressible spring member in the casing engaged with the inner end walls thereof and separating the said space into key compartments normally maintained closed by the expansive force of said spring.

2. In a key holder, a casing comprising spaced side portions forming a key space open in opposite directions from such space, side by side arranged spring members in the casing engaged with inner walls thereof to normally yieldably hold the latter limitedly spaced, and a par- -tition between said spring members coacting with-the latter 4to divide the space into a rality of key compartments.

3. A holder as claimed in claim 2, in which the spring members are "of S-shape to cause certain key compartmentsV to open in one direction from the key space, and other key compartments to open in an opposite direction.

4. A key holder as claimed in claim 1, in which pluthe springmember is formed to provide adjacent separated key compartments opening in opposite directions.

5. A key holder as claimed in claim 1, in which the spring member is formed to provide oppositely extending connected U-shaped portions opening in opposite directions and forming key compartments in the casing, and facing members applied to the inner faces of the sides of the casing on opposite sides of the spring member.

6. In a key holder, a casing comprising spaced side portions forming a key space open in opposite directions from such space, side by side arranged spring members in the casing engaged with its walls to normally yieldably hold the latter limitedly spaced, and a partition between said spring members coacting with the latter to divide the space into a plurality of key compartments, and facing members applied to the inner faces of sides of the casing at the outer sides of said spring members.

'7. In a key holder, a casing having spaced sides provided with closed edge portions compressible toward each other, and spring members holding the edge portions apart, and separating the casing into key compartments having entrances at at least one end of the casing.

8. A key holder as claimed in claim '7, combined with a partition between the spring membersV united to the ends of the casing, and protruding resilient members on the partition adjacent to the ends of the casing at said key compartment entrances.

9. In a key holder, a casing having spaced sides and closed edge portions, the latter compressible toward each other to spread the sides, the top and bottom of the casing being open to provide key entrance and exit portions, the casing being made of flexible material, and spring members engaging inner walls of the casing and yieldable to permit spreading of the casing sides.

10. In a, key holder, a casing having spaced sides and closed edge portions, the latter compressible toward each other, and spring members holding the edge portions apart, and separating the casing into key compartments having entrances at the top and bottom of the casing, pressing of the edge portions of the casing being adapted to spreadvthe sides apart, and flexible closure elements between the sides at the top and bottom of the casing adapted to spread on pressing the edge portions toward each other, combined with a partition between the spring members and carrying said flexible closure elements at oppositer sides adjacent the top and bottom of the holder, the spring members being of S-form having the extremities attached to the inner Walls of the casing at said edges and establishing the said key compartments.

HENRY H. CAMPBELL.

l0 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,507,492 La Vine Sept. 2, 1924 1,674,032 Buxton June 19, 1928 2,006,707 Bashara July 2, 1935 2,076,895 Johnston Apr. 13, 1937 2,232,888 Schimelmitz Feb. 25, 1941 2,274,820 Bills Mar. 3, 1942 2,295,123 Mudrich Sept. 8, 1942 2,313,485 Stiller Mar. 9, 1943 2,322,920 Campbell June 29, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 103,085 Germany May 19, 1899 

